Skipping
breakfast associated with hardening of the arteries

Date:

October 2, 2017

Source:

American College of Cardiology

Summary:

Skipping
breakfast is associated with an increased risk of atherosclerosis, or the
hardening and narrowing of arteries due to a build-up of plaque, according to
research.

Skipping breakfast is
associated with an increased risk of atherosclerosis, or the hardening and
narrowing of arteries due to a build-up of plaque, according to research
published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

Eating a healthy
breakfast has been shown to promote greater heart health, including healthier
weight and cholesterol. While previous studies have linked skipping breakfast
to coronary heart disease risk, this is the first study to evaluate the
association between breakfast and the presence of subclinical atherosclerosis.

“People who
regularly skip breakfast likely have an overall unhealthy lifestyle,” said
study author Valentin Fuster, MD, PhD, MACC director of Mount Sinai Heart and
editor-in-chief of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. “This
study provides evidence that this is one bad habit people can proactively
change to reduce their risk for heart disease.”

Researchers in Madrid
examined male and female volunteers who were free from cardiovascular or
chronic kidney disease. A computerized questionnaire was used to estimate the
usual diet of the participants, and breakfast patterns were based on the
percentage of total daily energy intake consumed at breakfast. Three groups
were identified — those consuming less than five percent of their total energy
intake in the morning (skipped breakfast and only had coffee, juice or other
non-alcoholic beverages); those consuming more than 20 percent of their total
energy intake in the morning (breakfast consumers); and those consuming between
five and 20 percent (low-energy breakfast consumers). Of the 4,052
participants, 2.9 percent skipped breakfast, 69.4 percent were low-energy
breakfast consumers and 27.7 percent were breakfast consumers.

Atherosclerosis was
observed more frequency among participants who skipped breakfast and was also
higher in participants who consumed low-energy breakfasts compared to breakfast
consumers. Additionally, cardiometabolic risk markers were more prevalent in
those who skipped breakfast and low-energy breakfast consumers compared to breakfast
consumers. Participants who skipped breakfast had the greatest waist
circumference, body mass index, blood pressure, blood lipids and fasting
glucose levels.

Participants who skipped
breakfast were more likely to have an overall unhealthy lifestyle, including
poor overall diet, frequent alcohol consumption and smoking. They were also
more likely to be hypertensive and overweight or obese. In the case of obesity,
the study authors said reverse causation cannot be ruled out, and the observed
results may be explained by obese patients skipping breakfast to lose weight.

“Aside from the
direct association with cardiovascular risk factors, skipping breakfast might
serve as a marker for a general unhealthy diet or lifestyle which in turn is
associated with the development and progression of atherosclerosis,” said
Jose L. Peñalvo, PhD, assistant professor at the Friedman School of Nutrition
Science and Policy at Tufts University and the senior author of the study.
“Our findings are important for health professionals and might be used as
a simple message for lifestyle-based interventions and public health
strategies, as well as informing dietary recommendations and guidelines.”

Prakash Deedwania, MD,
professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco and author
of the accompanying editorial comment said that this study provides clinically
important information by demonstrating the evidence of subclinical
atherosclerosis in people who skip breakfast.

“Between 20 and 30
percent of adults skip breakfast and these trends mirror the increasing
prevalence of obesity and associated cardiometabolic abnormalities,”
Deedwania said. “Poor dietary choices are generally made relatively early
in life and, if remained unchanged, can lead to clinical cardiovascular disease
later on. Adverse effects of skipping breakfast can be seen early in childhood
in the form of childhood obesity and although breakfast skippers are generally
attempting to lose weight, they often end up eating more and unhealthy foods
later in the day. Skipping breakfast can cause hormonal imbalances and alter
circadian rhythms. That breakfast is the most important meal of the day has
been proven right in light of this evidence.”

Story Source:

Materials provided by American College of Cardiology. Note: Content may be
edited for style and length.

Journal Reference:

1.    Irina Uzhova, Valentín
Fuster, Antonio Fernández-Ortiz, José M. Ordovás, Javier Sanz, Leticia
Fernández-Friera, Beatriz López-Melgar, José M. Mendiguren, Borja Ibáñez,
Héctor Bueno, José L. Peñalvo. The Importance of Breakfast in
Atherosclerosis Disease. Journal of the American College of Cardiology,
2017; 70 (15): 1833 DOI: 10.1016/j.jacc.2017.08.027